The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered wiretapping equipment and sensitive security documents from the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, the agency said in a sworn affidavit submitted to the High Court of Justice in the Federal Capital Territory.
The commission obtained a 14-day remand order from a Magistrate Court in Bwari, FCT, allowing it to detain el-Rufai for investigative purposes, with the period set to expire on March 5, 2026. ICPC denied claims that the former governor is being arbitrarily held or that his fundamental rights have been violated.
According to the affidavit deposed by Litigation Officer David Efuk, el-Rufai has yet to cooperate with investigators, choosing to remain silent until he appears before a court. The ICPC said an aide linked to the matter has left the country.
The commission said it is investigating multiple allegations, including the disappearance of €1.4 million, 180 questionable payments totaling N2,158,799,199 from Kaduna State’s Consolidated Revenue Account, and transfers to undisclosed accounts totaling N428,122,180.18.
During the search at el-Rufai’s residence on Mambila Street, Asokoro, the ICPC retrieved wiretapping devices and documents capable of compromising national security in the presence of his wife, Hadiza, and son, Mohammed. The commission said it also received evidence that el-Rufai threatened potential prosecution witnesses, prompting at least one to seek protection.
ICPC reiterated that all actions, including the remand and document seizure, were carried out according to legal procedure. The agency said el-Rufai was invited multiple times to respond to the allegations, but he failed to appear until February 18, 2026, after being released from EFCC custody.
The petition against the former governor includes allegations of mismanagement of public funds, questionable foreign and domestic cash withdrawals, diversion of state revenue, violations of the Kaduna State Financial Policies and Procedures Manual 2016, and irregularities in procurement processes. It also details funds linked to domestic and foreign loans, abandoned projects, and contracts executed in contravention of the 2016 Public Procurement Law.
El-Rufai, in a sworn statement to the ICPC, claimed the investigation is politically motivated due to his position as a leading member of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC). He said he would remain silent on all matters until formally arraigned before a court and insisted the commission should present its findings before a judicial tribunal rather than him personally.
The ICPC has asked the FCT High Court to dismiss el-Rufai’s suit alleging violation of his fundamental rights, stating that ongoing investigations are in the public interest and all procedures have been legally followed.
